Chicago Bears suddenly linked to former Saints coach Dennis Allen
The Chicago Bears are in the early stages of their head coaching interview process. The Bears are holding virtual meetings with candidates this week.
The Bears have several people on their radar that are in the NFL playoffs. By rule, those coaches cannot meet with Chicago in person until Jan. 20.
Put simply, unless the Bears hire Mike Vrabel before the New England Patriots do, it’s going to be a while before there is a new head coach introduced in Halas Hall.
But the Bears have more than a head coaching search to worry about. Despite the search being about who can support Caleb Williams and the offense, Chicago also has talented pieces on defense that they have to consider after moving on from defensive-minded head coach Matt Eberflus.
Chicago Bears linked to Dennis Allen
Per ESPN‘s Dan Graziano, former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen is thought to be a potential defensive coordinator candidate for the Bears.
“Former Saints head coach Dennis Allen should have options on the defensive coordinator circuit as well, Graziano wrote. “There are intriguing openings tied to open head coach jobs, as the Bears, Jets, and Jaguars all have good defensive building blocks. There are also open defensive coordinator jobs in Cincinnati and Indianapolis, where the head coaches aren’t turning over.”
Allen has been in the league since he started as a defensive quality control coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons in 2022. He became a defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos in 2011. He became the head of the Oakland Raiders in 2012.
Allen has been an NFL head coach twice
The former Texas A&M safety became the New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator in 2015, working his way up to replace Sean Payton as head coach in 2022.
Allen’s work as a head coach was not good. He went 26-53 in six seasons as a head coach. Allen didn’t finish his final season with the Raiders or Saints before he was canned.
Allen’s defenses were in the top ten for points allowed and yards allowed from 2020-2022. His Sants gave up the eighth-least points in 2023, but the 13th-least yards in 2023.
At 52, Allen could provide experience if he were asked to work with a young offensive mind like Ben Johnson or Joe Brady.
But the Bears have a long way to go before a defensive coordinator is hired.
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